


California (There is no end to love)

by i_dreamthedream



Series: Songs of Innocence [1]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 01:09:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6544315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_dreamthedream/pseuds/i_dreamthedream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Luz’s right ok? I like Webster and that’s why I can’t come!”<br/>His declaration was met with a stunned silence. Grant took a look at Luz to make sure that he hadn’t hallucinated the last thirty seconds. The mix of disbelief and glee on George’s face told him that no, it was actually happening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	California (There is no end to love)

The sun began to set in the bay of San Francisco, leaving the sky in different shades of orange and pink contrasting with the blue of the ocean. Looking at the horizon, a young man was sitting in one of the boat in the marina, eyes as blue as the sea. He had very dark hair and light stubble on his square jaw. He jolted when his phone rang, waking him up from his daydreaming session.

“What?” he grumbled.

“Late at your own going away party David?” said an amused voice from the other end of the line.

“What time is it?” David Webster asked, looking distractedly at his watch. “Oh shit!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah,” the voice answered. “You know I closed my restaurant for the night for you, so the least you can do is to show up!”

“Sorry Kitty,” David sighed. “I’ll be there in twenty.”

“You better be,” Kitty said with just enough threat in her voice to make David gulp.

David hung up, he better hurry.

 

¢

 

“I told you guys, I don’t wanna go!”

“And we told you, you must quit whining!”

“Yeah, stop it you big baby!”

Chuck Grant was not amused. He and George Luz had spent the last _hour_ trying to be patient with Liebgott. The three of them were currently in Joe’s flat, from which he was determined not to move. The guy was stubborn as hell.

“Remind me again why you won’t come?” he sighed.

“Because!” Joe answered petulantly. Chuck took three deep breaths. He could do this, he worked with children, he could do this.

“Because you’re damn scared that’s why!” Luz snapped. Joe looked up from the kitchen island where he was sitting. Chuck did too; he didn’t think he had ever seen George lose his temper and his good wit. But it appeared that even he was getting bored at playing this game.

“You’re scared Joe,” George repeated, slower. “We’ve watched you and Web dancing around each other for years! Literally, _years!_ ” Back at screaming, well he must have wanted to say something over this for quite some time, Chuck thought distantly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Liebgott grumbled. “I can’t stand the guy, I don’t see why I should go to his party.”

Luz seemed about to start his rant again when Grant stopped him with a warning look. He went over to Joe and started talking _very_ slowly like he did with his six-years-olds.

“Lieb,” he took a deep breath. “You don’t hate Webster. You only act the way you do for the same reason boys hit girls in the playground.”

“What?” Joe hissed, his voice somehow higher than usual, “I do _not!_ I don’t like Webster!” “Joe,” Chuck sighed, “I see it everyday, trust me, _you do!_ ”

“Stop denying it,” Luz added, “it’s old news for everybody, really.”

“ _What?”_ Joe shrieked, eyes widened and cheeks flushed.

“C’mon Joe! You know that every time you two get into an argument, you get to this point when you’re two seconds away from slamming him against a wall! Web can feel it too…” Luz said, like it was the most natural thing in the world to say. Chuck sighed, this would not help to convince Joe to come.

As if to confirm his thought, Liebgott declared: “I’m not going.”

“Lieb,” Chuck was about to reason him when he was interrupted.

“Luz’s right ok? I like Webster and that’s why I can’t come!”

His declaration was met with a stunned silence. Grant took a look at Luz to make sure that he hadn’t hallucinated the last thirty seconds. The mix of disbelief and glee on George’s face told him that no, it was actually happening.

“Care to explain?” he asked prudently.

“I’d rather not,” Joe sighed. But he knew that none of them would let it go until he spills it out, especially Luz. “Web and I have had this… thing going on for a long time. And it could’ve lead to something else a hundred times by now… But I wouldn’t.”

“What?” Luz exclaimed indignantly. “Why?”

“Because I’m a fucking coward that’s why!” Liebgott shouted angrily. “The guy’s my friend or close enough and I don’t wanna jeopardize that by fucking that relationship like I’ve fucked up all the others!”

Luz shook his head in disbelief. He gestured to Grant helplessly as if saying, _I got him to admit his felling, you make him stop being an idiot!_ Chuck rolled his eyes. Deciding that trying to talk about it more would do more harm than good, Chuck put a hand in Joe’s shoulder in comfort and said gently: “Come to the party with us. The guy is leaving for the next four months, you want to at least say goodbye. And then we’ll get you drunk. How does that sound?”

Joe had a small smile at that. “Ok,” he mumbled.

 

¢

 

This was such a bad idea, Joe thought. Luz and Grant had kept their promise at first. They came with him and bought him drinks. But George eventually left to play darts with Babe and Buck while Chuck was now engrossed in his conversation with Lip. So there he was, alone at the bar, slightly drunk with Webster walking toward him. _Shit._

“Hey,” Web said with a lazy smile. He sat next to him and asked for another drink.

“Hi,” Joe answered, trying to sound polite, he didn’t wanted to start a scene. “I hear congratulations are in order…”

“Yeah,” David answered dreamingly. “I can’t believe I’m actually going!” His big blue eyes were sparkling in both excitement and wonder, his smile lit up his entire face, his cheeks were pink because of the alcohol; he’d never looked more beautiful to Joe. Liebgott wanted to punch him, punch him for leaving and being so happy about it. How dare he? How dare he want to go to Mexico to do research on those _stupid animals?!_ Well he would never call sharks like that aloud in front of Web without a lecture, but he just didn’t get it. Why did Web like them so much? Why were they so important? If he understood that, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to let him go… _Or maybe it still would,_ his brain supplied, unhelpfully, _it will always be hard to watch him leave…_

“Joe?” Web asked. Joe shook his head. He’d been lost in his thoughts for a moment too long.

“Yeah, it’s great,” he said, his voice a little rough. “I’m happy for you.” His voice sounded false to his own hears.

Webster eyed at him curiously, looking like he didn’t believe him the slightest. Joe was having a hard time holding his gaze without feeling like he was about to burst into tears or break something.

“You alright there, Lieb?” Webster seemed concerned yet at the same time, there was something in his eyes. It was almost like he knew what was on Joe’s mind, almost like he was daunting him, daring him to act on his feelings. Joe’s blood was boiling, he felt like he couldn’t breathe. What was he supposed to do? For once in his life, he didn’t capable of taking a decision. For once in his life, he was a coward. He gulped his beer in one go before taking his jacket and walking out of the restaurant, only muttering “Have fun in Mexico.”

Liebgott get out on the streets, breathing fully the fresh air of the night.

“Joe!” someone called behind him. He groaned, _fucking typical._

“What Web?” he spat, angrily. “What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know,” he answered with the same tone. “But if you have a problem with me leaving, you could have said _something!_ ”

“And what? Tell you to give up your dream to do research on those damn fishes for me? Because if you stay, I might come to term with the fact that I like you, that I’m falling in love with you? No thanks!” Joe shouted, almost hysterically. Webster was looking at him, frozen in shock. Joe was pacing aimlessly in front of him. He looked like he wanted nothing more than to leave. Afraid that his absence of reaction would be wrongly interpreted, Web slowly walked toward the other man. Joe stopped his pacing when he saw him get closer. His eyes flickered for a second to Web’s parting lips. David gently cupped his face with both hands and Joe’s found their way to Web’s hips without his authorization.

“Yeah, you could’ve said that,” David whispered before leaning in.

Their lips met in a wet kiss. Joe tightened his grip on Web’s body while the other man hands were now in his hair. At the first contact between their tongues, Joe was gone. He melted into Web’s embrace, feeling warmth spreading through his entire body. They parted, foreheads touching. Joe closed his eyes, losing himself in the scent of Web next to him. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying being near one another.

“But I can’t ask you that,” Joe murmured, finally opening his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t ask to stay, to give up this trip. You want it, you’ve always wanted it.”

“Ok,” Webster answered with a smile. “We can just have this then, have that moment, something light and breezy.” His lips were swollen and his shirt was a bit disheveled because Joe hands had slowly crept under it at some point during the kiss. He looked positively gorgeous like this, Joe felt a tingle of hurt at the idea of this being a one-time thing. But then Webster started talking again: “Can I ask _you_ something though?”

Joe slowly nodded.

David came closer and started mouthing at his neck. “Will you wait for me?” he said, lips ghosting on Joe’s skin, causing him to whimper. Web looked back at him, looking smug but Joe could see the lines of worry around his eyes.

“Well,” he answered, “it’s not like I’ll have something better to do anyway.” He shrugged.

David’s whole face lit up and his smile was something Joe wanted to kiss like there were no tomorrow. So he did, because apparently he could, pressing their bodies together. The door of the restaurant opened brutally and they jerked away from each other.

“Found them,” Speirs called, lighting a cigarette around his smirking lips. Luz’s head appeared behind him and he giggled. “Oh I’m going to have so much fun during the next four months,” he said gleefully.

Joe groaned and buried his face in David’s neck. He heard cheers erupting from the rest of his friends and Web chuckled. But Joe didn’t pay attention to them, too focus in the soft sound next to him.

 

¢

 

_Four months later,_

“Stop fidgeting!”

“Shut up!”

Luz laughed and Chuck sighed. There were waiting at the airport for Web to come back after his trip.

“Why did you have to come with me again?” Joe asked, annoyed.

“Because my friend,” Luz swung an arm around his shoulders, “I had a great time teasing you while your boyfriend was in Mexico and now I’m gonna have a great time teasing you while he’s back!”

Joe groaned. The last months had been a nightmare. He and Web could only Skype briefly because of his busy schedule and George had taken every opportunity to be his usual mocking self. Besides he couldn’t help but feeling nervous. He and Web had been fine until then, but everything would change now that he was back. Will he still want to try? Will they work? But before he could dwell on his insecurities, Chuck poked him in the ribs. He looked up to see David, standing with his luggage, his skin tanned by the sun, watching them from a few feet away. Joe joined him in a couple of resolute strides, grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and kissed him hard and wet in the middle of the airport. When they detached themselves from each other long enough to breathe, he asked: “You okay?”

Web nodded, smiling from ear to ear, “Yeah,” he said. “It’s good to be home…”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on my Tumblr @i-dreamthedream !


End file.
